presenting Mr. Keen tracer of lost persons a new weekly feature on NBC's
All-Star Festival of mystery comedy music and drama brought to you by
Chesterfield always milder better tasting cooler smoking plus no unpleasant
aftertaste by Aniston for fast relief from pain of headache neuritis and
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and now here's Bing Crosby with a word about vacations Oh Ken when you mention
vacations it brings a tear to me I and a lump in my throat poor uncle Herbert
well what happened to your uncle Herbert uncle Herbert loves to fish so on his
vacation he hide himself off all alone to a secluded spot way back in the woods
poor uncle Herbert he forgot his fishing pole he forgot his Chesterfields so
friends take a tip from me whether you're packing to take off for the
weekend or for that long anticipated vacation pack a couple of cartons of
those milder Chesterfield when you take off on a trip like that you like to go
where you want and do what you want so take along the cigarette that gives you
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now mr. key tracer of lost person one of the most famous characters of American
fiction in one of radio's most thrilling dramas tonight the famous old
investigators case is entitled the abandoned well murder case our scene is
a deserted farm about 60 miles from New York it's almost dusk and the middle-aged
well-dressed man with iron gray hair paces back and forth near an abandoned
well with mounting annoyance he glances toward the overgrown shrubbery that
surrounds the well I'm found it it must be almost 730 I don't like to be kept
waiting what the devil can be who's that is that you what it's about time you
you what are you doing with that gun are you crazy no no don't shoot here mr.
Kena them papers on the Brennan case all ready to file and mark closed yes Mike
that was a difficult case now perhaps it's time you and I took a few days
vacation the fishing trip or can I help you ma'am are you mr. Keane no I'm his
partner Mike Clancy oh please I must see mr. Keane at once I didn't phone for an
appointment well now who are you ma'am I'm mrs. crane mrs. Rachel crane well this
is mr. Keane right here and how do you do mrs. crane oh mr. Kena I'm so upset
so frightened please sit down and tell me what's the trouble thank you mr. Keene
my employer Henry Kellogg has been murdered your employer yes sir I'm his
housekeeper at Hillview that's mr. Kellogg the state about 60 miles from
here ten years ago he took me and my little daughter into his home and gave
me a position as his housekeeper no one could have been more kind more most
sympathetic try to compose yourself mrs. crane and go on with your story well
mr. Keene the night before last mr. Kellogg left the house for his evening
walk when he didn't return by midnight I became worried and called the local
police yesterday afternoon they they found mr. Kellogg's body at the bottom
of an abandoned well on the farm next to ours he been shot through the heart
since preservice you mean he'd been murdered and his body dumped into the
well yes mr. Clancy oh it was a horrible thing mrs. crane I assume the local
police are investigating the murder so why have you come to me because mr.
Keene unless you can help me they'll probably arrest me for Henry Kellogg's
murder why do you say that because because I happen to know that he was
leaving me $20,000 in his will after all I've been working for him for ten years
but last week he told someone in town that he was discharging me discharging
you after ten years of service as his housekeeper what was the reason well I
can't imagine mr. Keene had you ever had a disagreement or a serious quarrel of
any kind with mr. Kellogg no no nothing like that did he tell you he was going
to discharge you no but he was a man of impulse of sudden whims mr. Keene you
can see this puts me in a frightening position the police will think I knew I
was being discharged and I murdered poor mr. Kellogg before he had a chance to
change his will well a $20,000 inheritance could be a motive for
committing murder and another thing the police found that the bullet that killed
mr. Kellogg was from a gun he kept on the estate a gun which any member of his
household might have gotten hold of I see mrs. Crane who else lives there on the
estate just myself and my daughter Doris she's a young woman now she's 21 years
old mr. Kellogg has no close relatives well he has a nephew Paul Kellogg who
lives here in New York the police tried to reach him but there was no answer at
his apartment I imagine he's at his cabin on Crystal Lake mrs. Crane do you
know if the nephew Paul Kellogg will inherit the bulk of Henry Kellogg's
fortune why no mr. Kellogg told me once that he intended to leave everything to
charity everything that is except his bequest of $20,000 to you well yes mr.
Keene and that's why I came to you I beg you to find the real murderer so I can
clear myself tell me is there anyone else who might have had reason to murder your
employer anyone who hated him possibly why yes mrs. Crane there's Jasper Gibbs
he's an eccentric old man who used to own the farm next to mr. Kellogg's estate
two weeks ago mr. Kellogg foreclosed a mortgage on Jasper Gibbs place Jasper
made all kinds of wild threats to get revenge indeed oh but no one takes
Jasper seriously he's a harmless old crackpot well we'll know more about that
after Mike Clancy and I have talked to him oh Mr. Keene and you will help me I
swear to you I had nothing to do with mr. Kellogg's murder what I always
admired him and I was grateful for his kindness to me and my daughter Doris
Mike and I will be ready to drive you to the murdered man's home within the hour
mrs. Crane I have a feeling that if we to find Henry Kellogg's murderer there isn't
a moment to lose
here we are mr. Keene mr. Clancy this is mr. Kellogg's home well sure it's a
mighty elegant place boss a real country estate yes Mike one would think it would
require a staff of servants to run it mr. Kellogg didn't like a lot of people
around he what is it mrs. Crane with that car in the driveway it's mr. Paul's
roadster you mean Henry Kellogg's nephew yes sir oh there you are mrs. Crane
well mr. Paul I didn't know you were here I was up at my lake cabin I got
back to New York this morning and the police phoned and told me uncle Henry
had been murdered who are these gentlemen mrs. Crane it's mr. Keene and
mr. Clancy the private investigators mr. Keene this is mr. Kellogg's nephew Paul
mr. Keene I've often heard of you how do you do mr. Kellogg glad to meet you young
fella please come into the house gentlemen this whole thing is shocking
but mrs. Crane I had no idea that you'd gone into the city to bring mr. Keene
into the case Doris didn't tell me my daughter didn't know now mr. Keene if you
would all excuse me I want to put away my things and see where Doris is and
certainly mrs. Crane mr. Kellogg you see you just arrived here at your uncle's
home about five minutes ago mr. Keene so mrs. Crane the housekeeper has asked your
help in solving uncle Henry's murder I suppose she's very worried the situation
being what it is just what do you mean by that mr. Kellogg well look at the
spot she's in after that quarrel with uncle Henry it's no wonder she's
panicking quarrel sure mrs. Crane never mentioned any quarrel does boss no Mike
she told us she and Henry Kellogg were on the best of terms she didn't tell you
of her threats against him threats what threats mr. Kellogg suppose you tell us
about that certainly mr. Keene you haven't met mrs. Crane's daughter Doris
when you do you won't find it difficult to understand how she captured poor old
uncle Henry's fancy he wanted to marry Doris Crane marry her well sure and I
thought your uncle the murdered man was was in his 50s he was mr. Clancy and
Doris Crane is 21 about two weeks ago her mother found out what was going on
mrs. Crane nearly blew the roof off you mean she disapproved disapproved that's
putting it mildly mr. Keene she told uncle Henry to stay away from her
daughter that she'd see him dead before she'd let Doris marry him a man almost
old enough to be Doris's grandfather well sure and I can't say that I blame
the woman a young innocent girl like Doris Crane innocent mr. Clancy one
would hardly use that description of Doris Crane she's as cold and
calculating a female as you've ever met mr. Kellogg were you here when the
housekeeper mrs. Crane threatened your uncle's life yes I was mr. Keene and
how did Henry Kellogg react to it uncle Henry was very calm but he said he
intended to go right on doing what he felt was best then mrs. Crane turned and
left the room I'll never forget the look of hatred in her eyes well sure and he
never said a word to us mr. Keene about her daughter being mixed up with a
murdered man however Paul Kellogg has taken good care to mention it haven't
you Paul Doris I didn't hear you come in no no you were much too busy trying to
cast suspicion on my mother mr. Keene this is Doris Crane the housekeeper's
daughter how do you do Doris this is my partner Mike Clancy pleased to meet you
mr. Keene mother tells me she's asked your help in clearing her of suspicion
in the murder well she's gonna need it with someone like Paul Kellogg spreading
lies about her lies one moment please tell me Doris just what was your
relationship with a murdered man Paul Kellogg why I plan to marry him mr.
Keene he was head over heels in love with me of all the rotten luck for this
to happen you don't mind my saying so Doris you don't seem grief-stricken
about the murder of the man you loved I didn't say I loved Henry Kellogg I
wanted to be Mr. to this estate I wanted expensive clothes jewels lots of money
to spend he could have given me those things well I never heard anything so
cold-blooded cold-blooded I'm simply being truthful mr. Clancy which is more
than you can say for Henry Kellogg's nephew Paul just what is that supposed
to mean why not tell mr. Keene about your own relationship with your uncle
and just what was that relationship Doris mr. Keene Doris is making a
mountain out of nothing I'm perfectly willing to tell you that uncle Henry and
I never got along too well in fact two weeks ago he ordered you off the estate
is that true mr. Kelo yes mr. Keene it's true I I told uncle Henry right to his
face that I thought he was a fool for wanting to marry Doris a girl young
enough to be his granddaughter he ordered me to get out of the house and I
know that what Doris here is insinuating that I murdered uncle Henry to get his
money I'm not so sure that you didn't poor Kellogg that's a lie you know very
well I didn't mr. Kellogg do you inherit any of your murdered uncles estate no
mr. Keene I haven't a chance of getting a penny of it I I'm not even mentioned
in his will so I had no reason whatever to murder
since preserves what was that it's mother came from a study come on Mike what is it
mrs. Crane look there's a window boss it's a man trying to climb out after him
Mike right sir oh no you don't be fuck all your staying right here
for me keep away I'm warning you so it's a fighter after is it when I'm here
there now oh yeah sneaking into other people's houses are you mrs. Crane do you
know this man yes mr. Keene it's Jasper Gibbs the man I told you about the one
whose farm was foreclosed by mr. Kellogg when now what do you think of that oh he
gave me such a scare I was coming along the hall when I saw him at the desk in
the study the minute I screamed he started for the window and Mike you'd
better search Jasper Gibbs he may be armed no take your hands off my hold
still now well no take a look at this boss a long ugly knife in the pocket of
his overall give me that not until you tell us what you meant to do with it
Jasper Gibbs and explain why you broke into this house I advise you to tell the
truth because right now you appear to be the most logical suspect in Henry
Kellogg's murder mr. Keene will return in just a moment but first if you'd like
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now back to mr. Keene and the abandoned well murder case mr. Keene the great
investigator and his partner Mike Plancy are investigating the mysterious murder
of wealthy Henry Kellogg who was shot to death his body was found at the bottom
of a well on an abandoned farm next to his estate a moment ago Jasper Gibbs an
embittered old farmer was found hiding in the study of the Kellogg home now as
Henry Kellogg's nephew Paul his housekeeper Rachel Crane and Rachel's
daughter Doris look on mr. Keene is saying to Jasper Gibbs you'd better
explain what you're doing here Jasper Gibbs I've got nothing to say you've got
no right to question me he's got every right mr. this is mr. Keene mr. Keene
the investigator all right I'll tell you why I come here when I heard about
Henry Kellogg being murdered his body found in the old well on my farm your
farm you mean the farmer joining this estate belongs to you was mine till
Henry Kellogg foreclosed the mortgage and took it away from me and you swore
that you would get even with him didn't you Gibbs well I I was pretty sore mr.
Keene I I went to Henry Kellogg and I told him what I thought of him did you
also tell him you would kill him well I maybe I did don't remember you know
very well you did Jasper Gibbs keep out of this Rachel Crane mr. Keene I I come
here to find out what they were saying about me
mrs. Crane the housekeeper and our daughter Doris I came in and I hid in
Henry Kellogg study or see what I could over here why that's ridiculous perhaps
you meant to commit another murder what shout what's your accusation mrs. Crane
maybe you won't talk so fast when I tell mr. Keene when I know about Henry
Kellogg and your daughter what you know about me how dare you one moment Doris
what is it you know Gibbs just this mr. Keene this girl Doris Crane she used to
meet Henry Kellogg secretly down be the abandoned well the place where he was
murdered I saw them there together a lot of times well and what if you did and I
wouldn't be surprised if you met him there the other night Doris Crane and
put that bullet through his heart mr. Keene this man's insane why should I
murder Henry Kellogg I intended to marry him it's quite possible Doris that Henry
Kellogg may have changed his mind about marrying you you admitted to me that you
didn't love him perhaps he found that out mr. Keene well you don't know what
you're saying my daughter Doris wouldn't commit a murder yes for you mrs. Crane
the fact that you neglected to tell me you strongly opposed your daughter's
relationship with Henry Kellogg that you even threatened him told you about that
Paul Kellogg the murdered man's nephew yes I did mrs. Crane I felt mr. Keene
should know all the facts including the fact that you and your uncle hated each
other mr. Keene knows about my quarrels with uncle Henry he also knows that I
would have had nothing to gain by killing him mr. Keene maybe I know
something that'll help you what is it Jesper Gibbs if you'll come down to the
old mill with me the old well the place where Henry Kellogg was murdered
something I got to show you boss I'll bet it's a trick ain't no trick very well
Gibbs now the rest of you wait here please come along Mike let's find out
what it is that Jesper Gibbs is so anxious to show us at the scene of the
murder
there's the old well right up ahead mr. Keene so I see now then Gibbs what did
you want to show us mr. Keene soon as I heard about Henry Kellogg being murdered
here at the old well I came snooping around and I found something that the
police didn't notice look right there where I'm pointing what is it mr. Keene
sir there seems to be some tiny pieces of glass at the edge of the well Mike
that's right and back at the house I seen the housekeeper's daughter Doris
Crane she was wearing a necklace made of glass beads self-preservative right boss
I saw the necklace myself and so did I Mike but Jesper Gibbs it seems to me
you're very eager to plant suspicion on Doris Crane I'm only trying to help you
find Henry Kellogg's murderer well I'll put these slivers of glass in my pocket
Mike and I will be getting back to the house where are you staying Gibbs well I
got a room in town I warn you don't try to leave or you may find yourself in an
even more dangerous position than you already are come along Mike let's get
back to Henry Kellogg's house
and here's the front door mr. Keene they got the lights lit inside it's getting
dark now ring the doorbell Mike and Mike remember not a word about those
slivers of glass we found at the old well sure I won't say a thing sir oh mr. Keene
and mr. Clancy come in yes mrs. Crane well what did that crazy old man Jesper
Gibbs have to show you down at the well nothing of importance mrs. Crane of
course not he's an eccentric old crackpot but completely harmless I'm not so sure
Paul Kellogg in fact I've been wondering just why he sneaked in here a while ago
and what he was doing at the desk in your uncle's study my uncle kept all his
private papers in that desk mr. Keene do you think maybe Jasper Gibbs was trying
to steal the mortgage papers hoping to get his farm back I'm afraid that
wouldn't do him much good maybe we ought to keep the door to that study locked at
least until uncle Henry's murder is caught I think that's a good idea mr.
Kellogg none of your uncle's private papers should be touched until I've had
a chance to go over them thoroughly in fact I want to search the entire study
for a possible clue you want to do that now mr. Keene no it's getting late but
Mike and I will do it first thing in the morning and mrs. Crane is there a room
for us to spend the night in here in the house oh yes mr. Keene you and mr.
Clancy can have the guest room on the second floor good and mrs. Crane do you
have the key to Henry Kellogg study why yes here on the mantle mr. Kellogg
always kept it in this little box would you give the key to Mike Clancy please
but I why do you hesitate mrs. Crane I very well here's the key mr. Clancy
thanks Mike I want you to lock the door to Henry Kellogg study and keep the key
in your pocket right tomorrow morning we'll go over every inch of the study
because I have a feeling we may discover something in that room which may lead us
straight to Henry Kellogg's murderer
very much keen it's 1 30 in the morning we've been hiding here and Henry Kellogg
study for two hours I don't think we'll have much longer to wait Mike I'm sure
none of them heard us come in here well boss do you think wait Mike someone's at
the window quick let's get in that closet right sir leave the closet door
open just a crack Mike so we can see and hear what goes on okay
someone's claiming in the window just as I expected since preservers boss I'm
like open the closet door Mike good evening Paul Kellogg King and Clancy
what are you doing here we don't have to ask what you're doing here you came to
get that envelope from the secret drawer in your uncle's desk hand it over please
no the boss says to hand it over there's the envelope mr. King sir thank you Mike
just take a look inside look at this Mike it's a fortune in negotiable bonds I
should say at least two hundred thousand dollars worth give me those bonds I
don't think so Paul Kellogg I'll need them as evidence that you murdered your
uncle Henry Kellogg you're out of your mind keen you can't prove a thing I have
evidence that puts you on the scene of the crime you claim that you first heard
of your uncle's murder this morning but I found slivers of glass near the spot
where he was shot to death what does that prove later I noticed that the
crystal on your wristwatch is broken you must have smashed it when you pushed
your uncle's body into the well it'll be an easy matter to prove that the slivers
of glass came from your watch or your lick mr. so you may as well admit it all
right I'll admit it I murdered my uncle to get those bonds a month ago I found
out by accident that he kept them in that secret drawer in his desk nobody
knew about them they weren't even mentioned in his will but I knew I'd
have to work fast before he married that girl Doris crane and she found out about
them so you murdered your uncle hoping to pin the crime on Doris or her mother
you planned to come back here later to get hold of the hidden bonds but a few
hours ago when you suggested the steady door be kept locked I suspected the
truth that something was hidden in here that you were anxious to get your hands
on so you laid a trap for me all right keen but you haven't trapped me yet get
your hands up both of you watch it boss
lucky I didn't put a bullet in your head Kellogg I was waiting for you to pull a
gun so I shot right through me coat pocket good work Mike you can take Paul
Kellogg into custody when he faces a judge and jury he'll learn the price
he'll have to pay for murder
and so mr. Keane finds this solution to the abandoned well murder case
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listen again next week to mr. Keane tracer of lost person a new weekly
feature on NBC's All-Star Festival of mystery comedy music and drama brought
to you by Chesterfield always milder better tasting cooler smoking plus no
unpleasant aftertaste by Aniston for fast relief from pain of headache
neuritis and neuralgia and by RCA Victor world leader in radio first in recorded
music and first in television mr. Keane tracer of lost person is based on the
novel mr. Keane the radio sequel is originated and produced by Frank and
Anne Hummert dialogue by Jean Carroll directed by Richard Leonard Philip Clark
plays mr. Keane your announcer Jack Costello remember mr. Keane is now on the
air at this new time every Friday at 930 Eastern Daylight Saving Time don't miss
mr. Keane next Friday when the kindly old tracer turns to the poison sandwich
murder case
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